Kickstarter

We’ve gotten a lot of feedback since the initial release of our SolForge PC Beta last week, and we’re paying attention to all of it. Some particular questions have stood out and we wanted to tackle them directly. If you have questions or concerns that are not covered by these answers, voice them in our forums at www.solforgegame.com/forum. We want to hear from you!

Q: Why does the PC Beta have fewer features than the iOS version?

A: Our iOS version had a head start in programming due to our use of the platform for our original demos. While there is some overlap between PC and iOS, we have different programmers working on each, so the matter isn’t as simple as just shifting from one to the other. We have reallocated our resources as we can, and we’re working to catch the PC Beta up to the iOS version as quickly as possible, with the goal of releasing new features on PC first so we can test them in a more traditional Beta setting.

Q: I can’t get SolForge to work on my Windows XP system. What’s wrong?

A: The current PC Beta does not support Windows XP. Support for Windows XP will be added in a future update.

Q: I can’t access my purchased starter decks on the PC Beta. Why not?

A: Deck selection is not yet implemented in the PC Beta. It will be added in a future update, which should be available within the next few months. Any purchases you make can be used on any platform, as SolForge will be fully cross-platform compatible.

Q: Are there plans to add more hotkeys? The interface doesn’t take advantage of PC input options. I’d like to use right click, mouse wheel, etc.

A: Absolutely. We plan on implementing additional hotkeys in future versions, including the ability for players to customize their own key bindings. We’re going to be doing a lot of work to improve the overall interface for PC and make the game feel more at home on the platform.  Currently, you can use space bar and enter to battle or end the turn, and escape to cancel.  

Q: The game doesn’t look as good on my PC as it does on my iPad. What’s wrong?

A: Our graphics are currently optimized for iPad resolutions. We’re going to be improving the graphics on PC resolutions in future updates.

Q: Computer Easy is too easy, but Computer Normal is too hard! Are there plans for other levels of difficulty?

A: Getting the AI difficulty levels in the right place is a challenging task. We agree there is too big of a disparity between the current options and plan to implement an intermediate level in a future update. Also, Computer Normal is going to be renamed to “Computer Big Jerk”, or something similar.

Q:  Is there any way to get access to the PC Beta now?

A:  We will have more opportunities to get involved with the PC Beta in the future.  Stay tuned to www.solforgegame.com for details! 

As I write this, we have started sending out emails to all of you containing information about downloading and installing the SolForge PC Beta client. We’re thrilled to have gotten to the point that we can get SolForge into all of your hands. We know you’ve been waiting a long time for this, and we hope you’re as excited as we are!

SolForge for PC will be distributed on Steam, which means you’ll need to create a Steam account to download the Beta if you don’t have one already. Full instructions for the process are included in the email sent to the address associated with your Kickstarter account. If you have not received your Beta email by the end of day tomorrow, please contact us and we’ll remedy the situation right away.

The current PC Beta build of SolForge includes two preconstructed decks and the ability to play against a local friend or AI opponent with multiple levels of difficulty. Additional features will be added regularly, with the next major milestones including deck selection, online play, and deck customization, to name a few. Every step gets us closer to the full game of SolForge that has been our dream to make for so long.

We look forward to your feedback! It is because of you that we were able to make SolForge a reality, and we want to you to have a hand in making it as good as it can be. Head over to our forums at www.solforgegame.com/forum and let us know what you think! Thank you for supporting SolForge, and we hope you enjoy this first release on PC!

The first update for the SolForge iPad app is live! This update includes four new preconstructed decks, new home screens and game creation options, the introduction of the SolForge store, and more! We’re very excited to have all new content available to keep your SolForge experience fresh. We put a lot of work into ensuring that each of the faction decks has its own unique strategy and play pattern and we hope you enjoy playing them as much as we do.

We’ve gotten a number of questions about this launch, and we’re hoping that we can address them here. If you have questions that are not answered by this FAQ, please post in the comments here or on our forums and we’ll answer them ASAP.

Q: How do we get our free starter decks and store credit?

A: Those of you who filled out your Kickstarter backer surveys will be receiving codes to credit your account with your free starter decks and store credit soon. We’re processing the surveys and sending out the codes in batches starting today. When you receive your code, go to https://api.solforgegame.com/RedeemCode.aspx and sign in with your account information and you’ll be credited with the appropriate rewards. Your chosen starter decks should be accessible when you sign in to the app with your account.

Q: How can I use my store credit?

A: If you received store credit as part of your rewards, you can use it on the store on the SolForge site after redeeming your promo code. Go to http://solforgegame.com/shop/ and select the items you want. When you check out, you’ll be given the option to use store credit for the cost of your purchase. Store credit cannot be used for purchases made within the app, as those are processed by the Apple iTunes store.

Q: Is this the Beta? Why is everything available to non-backers?

A: Doing a traditional Beta on iOS is unfortunately not possible due to the way the app approval process works. We’re going to have a more traditional Beta on PC and we will have some upcoming features on iOS locked for backers only, but we wanted to get new content out now to keep your experience fresh.

Q: When is the PC Beta coming?

A: We will have a PC client available within the next few weeks. Initially, it will include only the features of the original demo, but it will progressively catch up to the iOS version. The iOS client had a head start due to our initial programming work on the original demo version, but we fully plan on getting PC up to speed as soon as we can. The PC version of SolForge will allow us to run a more traditional beta, with backers getting a first look at all of the new features.

Q: When will SolForge be available on iPhone?

A: We’re aiming to have SolForge available on other iOS devices within the next few months.

Q: When can we expect other features to be added, like online play, deck building, tournaments, campaign mode, etc.?

A: We can’t commit to exact timelines because we don’t want to release anything until it’s ready. Our next milestone is online play, which should be coming in our next major update within a few months. After that, we’re planning on adding collection management and deck building, then the ability to acquire more cards via booster packs, tournament play, and an in-game currency system, all of which we hope to have available by late summer. Further down the line are drafts, the campaign mode, the Android client, and multiplayer co-op, which we’re targeting toward the end of 2013 to early 2014. Keep in mind that these are targets and not committed release dates, so they are very much subject to change.

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and support. We’re incredibly excited to be able to unveil more of SolForge to our fans, and we hope you all have as much fun with it as we have! If you have any questions, let us know in the comments or on our official forums at www.solforgegame.com/forum.

We’ve got a lot of super exciting news to share with you today!

Yes, it’s almost that time. We’ve been hard at work here at Stone Blade Entertainment getting SolForge up and running, and things are coming along great. We are on track to have the beta available for PC in March. This release will include all of the current features of the iOS demo, with additional features rolled out over time as they are ready. We know many of you without iPads have been itching to play, and we’re incredibly excited about getting SolForge into the hands of a wider audience. We’ll keep you updated with more details as the Beta release gets closer.

Stone Blade is going to have a big presence at PAX East, where we’ll be showing off a new update for SolForge on iOS. A big part of that update is the addition of four new playable decks, one for each faction.

These are the faction starter decks included as rewards for the Kickstarter campaign. All backers who contributed at the appropriate tiers will be able to select which starters they want to receive for free. The starters will also be available as an in-app purchase for $4.99. Once the full game goes live, all of the cards in any starters you have purchased will be included in your collection.

As many of you know, we’re currently in the final days of our Kickstarter campaign for Ascension Online. We recently introduced a SolForge add-on, which includes an exclusive Ascension-themed skin for SolForge, an exclusive SolForge-themed skin for Ascension, digital promo cards for both games, and $25 in SolForge credit for $25! Head on over to the Ascension Online Kickstarter page and take advantage of the offer before the campaign ends!

On the subject of special offers, we’re going to be closing the preorder period for SolForge next week. Monday, March 4th will be the final day we’re accepting SolForge pre-orders, since the game will be launching soon. If you or your friends are looking to get the best deals on SolForge, now is time to head to SolForge store and get your preorders in before they’re gone!

During our Ascension Online Q&A over the weekend, Justin Gary and John Fiorillo revealed an exciting new SolForge card. Behold Flameblade Champion!

We’re incredibly excited that we can finally share SolForge with the world, and we couldn’t have done it without your help. Thank you again for all of your support, and stay tuned for more updates. The excitement is only beginning!

Its been about a month since we last updated you on our progress with Solforge, and we are proud to say things are coming along great. We are in a crunch mode trying to get the PC beta release and the next update for iOS ready in time for PAXEast. This update will include new card content and some cool screens and features that we preview in our Ascension Online Kickstarter video. One of those new cards is Synapsis Oracle, a cool new Alloyin Creature!

In addition, we have been working on developing the animated cards that only exist thanks to you guys hitting our stretch goals. This is still a work in progress, but we wanted to give our backers a first look at the Scorchmane Dragon come to life! 

Pretty cool, huh? There is plenty more on the way and we hope to see many of you at PAXEast where the whole team will be on-site to demo Solforge and Ascension! Even if you can't make it out to Boston, don't worry! We'll have content available for you and will update with a post-show report including pictures from the event.

Stone Blade Entertainment is proud to announce the start of our kickstarter campaign to fund Ascension Online! This kickstarter will bring Ascension to Android and PC in 2013 and will bring exciting new features like tournaments, campaign mode, cross-platform play, and more! There are some great reward tiers for both physical and digital product, and some specials for people who donate early, so please check out the Ascension Online Kickstarter Page.

We are running a very fast (10 Days only) campaign so please check us out and share with your friends so we can get started making this amazing product!